A total of 49 wrestlers from the Beyond the Bleachers coverage area garnered trips to the Minnesota State Wrestling Tournament that starts on Wednesday and runs through Saturday.

Tarah Cleveland dropped a game-high 24 points and Lindsey White scored 14 to help the host Menahga Lady Braves overcome a 26-21 halftime deficit to defeat Verndale 54-45 in Park Region Conference play Friday.

The Lady Braves used a flurry of second-half free-throws to sink the Lady Pirates. They converted 23-of-44 (52 percent) from the charity stripe. Menahga finished with 43 percent (14-for-32) from the floor on the evening.

Elizabeth Johnson led all Verndale scorers with 13 points in the loss.

Menahga (6-16) travels to Browerville at 7:30 p.m. Monday (today)

Joey Cuperus and Cody Pulju each scored 17 points as third-ranked Sebeka scuttled the host Verndale Pirates 74-35 in Park Region Conference action Friday.

Leading 24-10 early in the first half, the Trojans went on a 30-1 run to go into halftime up 54-11. Sebeka would go on to build their lead to 72-20 with 10 minutes left before the Pirates closed out the game with a 15-2 run.

Hannah Rutten scored a game-high 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds while Alicia Boe drained 22 points—three from beyond the arch—as eighth-ranked New York Mills stifled the host Verndale Pirates 76-21 in Park Region Conference play Monday.

The Lady Eagles couldn’t miss in the first half as they dropped 61 percent of their shots to carry a 39-point lead into halftime, 51-12.

New York Mills ended up shooting 56 percent (28-for-50) from the floor but it was their defense that gave the Lady Pirates fits.